Switch actuator



T. H. BALCH SWITCH ACTUATOR Dec. 1, 1953 Filed March 21 1951 INVENTOR.Theodore H BQZch E's flg-en z N MM Patented Dec. 1, 1953 SWITCH ACTUATORTheodore H. Balch, Salem, reg., assignor to Sel- Set Company, WestSalem, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Application March 21, 1951, SerialNo. 216,803

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to switch actuators, and relates particularly tothe novel construction of a lever control handle wherein is incorporatedmechanical means for actuating switches while simultaneouslymanipulating the handle.

There are numerous and diverse types of machinery which are operated andcontrolled by the selective manipulation of both levers and electricalswitches. Included among these are, for example, hoists, cranes, steamshovels, and other heavy construction equipment. A specific example ofsuch apparatus is the head saw assembly of a. sawmill. Briefly, theconstruction and operation of a conventional sawmill head saw assemblyis as follows: A log is deposited, as from a millpond, upon a log deckdisposed adjacent a movable carriage. The log is usually held upon thelog deck within a cradle-type stop and loader preliminary to mountingupon the carriage. When released from the stop and loader the log ismoved onto the carriage by the actuation of log loaders. The log restsupon spaced head blocks and is forced into close abutment with kneesmounted slidalbly upon the head blocks. The log is then secured inposition by various dogs and hooks. Setworks are then employed to movethe knees and log toward or away from the plane of a cutting saw bladewhich is positioned adjacent the path of movement of the carriage. Afterthe log has been properly positioned relative to the saw blade thecarriage is driven forwardly past the saw blade, whereby the desired cutof the log is made.

It is a general practice to employ air motors to actuate the stop andloaders, the log loaders, the carriage and the dogs and hooks. Manuallyoperated levers are provided. at the sawyers station for use inactuating the air valves which control the operation of these motors.The preferred type of setworks employed for controlling the setting ofthe knees are the electrically 0perated devices described in detail andclaimed in the copending applications, Serial Numbers 210,581 and210,582, both filed on February 12, 1951 and both entitled RemoteControl Setworks and both having a common assignee with the presentapplication.

The foregoing preferred setworks are operated by means of electricalpush button switches located at the sawyers station. Thus, the sawyer isrequired to manipulate both the mechanical levers and the electricalpush buttons. It has been determined that certain disadvantages attendthe operation of such head saw assemblies wherein the push buttonswitches are positioned separately from the levers. In such cases thesawyer is required to remove one hand from one of the levers in order tooperate the push buttons. Thus, when the levers are constructed to bemoved with relative ease, the vibration of the mill or an accidentalcontact of the sawyers arm with the released lever might cause thelatter to be moved and thereby effect operation of one of the air motorswhen not desired. Moreover, it is somewhat inconvenient for the sawyerto release the lever whenever it is required to operate the pushbuttons.

Although the foregoing disadvantages have been described with exemplaryreference to a head saw assembly of a sawmill, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that said disadvantages also attend theoperation of many other types of equipment which are operated by bothlevers and push buttons.

It is a principal object of the present invention, therefore, to providea novel control handle constructed to house an electrical switch thereinand including mechanical lever means for actuating the switch, the levermeans being operated conveniently by thumb pressure while the hand leveris grasped in the hand.

. boxes.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a switch actuatorof the foregoing type which is of simplified and therefore economicalconstruction and which is sturdily built for long operating life.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willappear from the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a switch actuator embodying thenovel features of the present invention, parts thereof being broken awayto disclose details of construction;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the switch actuator with partsbroken away to disclose details of construction;

Figure 3 is an end view as observed from the right in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

The switch actuator illustrated in the draw ing includes an elongatedbody constructed of metal or other material of substantial strength. Thebody comprises a hand grip end section joined to an intermediate hollowhousing defined between the lateral side walls 2 and 3. The housing is,in turn, joined to the attachment end section 4 The housingis dividedinto two longitudinal compartmentsi and G by the separator plate I. Thebody comprising the foregoing parts is preferably formed as an integralunit as by the process of casting.

The longitudinal compartment 5 is proportioned to receive therein anelectrical switch box 8 of standard type. The conductor cable 9 leadingfrom the switch box is received in 'a'slot it formed in the housingwall. The slot extends inwardly from the outer edge of the wall,'a'sshown in'Figure 1, whereby to obviate the necessity of threading thecable therethrough. The switch box abuts along one side against theplate I and is supported thereag'ainst by the removable cover secured tothe housing by screws l2. I e e ,1 N

, The swith box illustrated is provided with three spaced cylindricalcollars l3 which project into [compartment 6 through complementaryopenings |4 formed in the plate 1. The switch box ,is thus stabilizedagainst displacement when moiintedwithin the housing. Projecting througheach of the threecollars |3 are the push buttons l5, IB and I1. Thesepush buttons are springloaded in conventional manner "to effect theirreturn after being depressed, I

Three tubular supports l8 are mounted withi 'coinpartrnentt transverselybetween the side walls 2 and 3 for rotation upon bolts 19. Projectingtransversely from the longitudinal center of each support are thefingers 26, 2| and 22, the free ends of which are disposed in contactwith the respective push buttons l5, I ES and A lever arm 23 projectsfrom the support of finger 2|, while lever arm 24 projects from thesupport of finger 22. As, best shown in Figure 2 otthe drawing, leverarm 23 is disposed upon one side of the plane of the lingers and leverarm 24 is disposed upon theoppositeside of said plane. The open end ofcompartment 6 is sealed by the removable cover '25 secured to thehousing by screwszs. ,7

An actuating rod 21 is pivotally connected at onefend to the forwardfinger and extends lohg'itu'dinally of thebody through the handgripsection The hand grip section is preferably hollow through the greaterproportion of its length, "with the terminal end thereof being of solidconstruction, as shown. Rod 21 thus'extends slidably'thro'ugh a holeformed in mesons end'of the hand grip, In similar manner, actuatingrods28 and 29 are pivotally connected at one are to the lever arms 23 and24, respectively, and extend longitudinally through holes provided Linthe solid end of the hand grip. The outer ends of rods121f28 and '29fareprovided with enlarged push "buttons 30, 3| and 32, respectively.

It is to be noted that rods 28 and 29 project outwardly of the hand gripto distances shorter than rod21. .The push buttons 3| and 32 areprovided with'complementary notches 33 in their adjacent edges wherebytoform an opening through which the actuating rod 21 slidably extends. Inthis manner each of. the actuating rods may be operated independently ofthe others. The projecting end of rod 21 is of sufficient length thatits push button 30 does not strike the push buttons 3| and 32 when rod21 is pushed inwardly to operate the switch push button I5.

The operation of the switch actuator described hereinbefore is asfollows: Let it be assumed, for purposes of illustration, that the handlever body is installed, by the connecting end 4, to ac tuate air valvesfor controlling the operation of air motors employed to operate asawmill carriage. Assume further that the wires leading irom the switch,box 8 and contained "in cable 9 connect the push button switches I5, I6and I! inthe electrical circuits of an electrically actuated reversibleset shaft motor whereby to aiford the respective stop, forward andreverse controls of the latter by said push buttons.

The operator grasps the handle 3 in his hand with his fingers wrappedcircumferentially around the handle. this position of the hand the thumbis disposed naturally for contacting the pushbuttons 30, 3| and 32.Thus, the operator may select the proper push button quickly and withfacility without releasing the hand grip on the handle 3. For example,if the operator wishes to energize the set shaft motor for forwardrhov'-mer t of the knees, he moves his thumb to depress the push button 3|.Rod 28 is thereby movedjto the left, as viewed in Figure 1, and thefinger 2| is rotated'clockwise about bolt H! to depress the push buttonswitch Hi. When the thumb pressure is released from button 3| thespring-loaded push button l6 forces the finger 2| into counterclockwiserotation and the button 3| is returned to its extended position.Additional spring means (not shown) may be provided between each fingeror finger support l8 and the housing to cause the rods to be extendedupon release of their respective buttons, in manner well-known in theart. Operation of the other push buttons is substantially identical withthe foregoing procedure. Thus, the handle I functionsas a grip by whichto operate the lever and also as means by which to station the hand forproperinanipulation of the thumb buttons.

It will 'beapp'arent to those skilled in the'art that variouschang'es inthe structural details described and illustrated may be made withoutdeparting from the scope'and spirit of the present invention. Forexample, the number of push button switches and actuating leversillustrated is merely exemplary, it being apparent that any desirednumber may be provided. As another exampla'the connecting end 4 need notfunction as a lever connection but may, if desired, sci-veto mount thehandle I and housing securely upon a fixe'dsupport, As a furtherexample, the compartmenti may function to house any typeof switchsuchas'an air or other fluid valve which isbp'erated 'bypush button or otherplungertype heads with'which the lever actuated fingers may be arrangedto contact. In such cases the cable 5 if provided, may serve to containpipe lines whichcOnnect the valves to the operating equipment intendedto be controlled. As a still further example, the actuator may beemployed with switches ofthe toggletype by proper arrangeri'ient and'conn 'ection oi the actuating rods.

[It is'to behnderstood that the foregoing detailed description ismerelyillustrative of this invention and is not to be considered in a limitingsense. e

fl laving nowfdescribed my invention and' the manner in which thesamemay be used, what I claim as new'and desire'to secure by Letters Patoutis: e

l. Aswitch actuator comprising, combinatio'nf'witha switch boxcontaining switch means tobe"ac'tuated; abody'including' an elongatedhandle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handle, a plateextending parallel to the longitudinal of the handle and separating thehousing into two longitudinal compartments one of which is adapted tocontain the switch box, the plate being apertured transversely toreceive the switch means therethrough whereby to stabilise the switchbox against displacement, linger means mounted pivotally in the secondcompartment and arranged to contact the switch means, elongated rodmeans extending slidably and longitudinally through the elongated handleinto the second compartment, and means pivotally connecting the innerend of the rod means to the finger means, whereby longitudinal movementof the rod means pivots the connected finger means and actuates theswitch means in a direction transversely to said rod means.

2. A switch actuator comprising, in combination with a switch boxcontaining push button switch means to be actuated and conductor meansfor the switch means extending from the box; a body including anelongated handle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handleand having an open side, a plate extending parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the handle and separating the housing into two longitudinalcompartments, the compartment adjacent the open side being adapted tocontain the switch box, the plate being apertured transversely toreceive the push button therethrough whereby to stabilize the switch boxagainst displacement, one wall of the switch compartment being slottedinwardly from the open side to receive the said conductor means freelytherethrough, elongated rod means extending slidably and longitudinallythrough the elongated handle into the second compartment and arranged toactuate the push button, and cover means detachably closing the openside and slot of the housing.

3. A switch actuator comprising, in combination with a switch boxcontaining switch means to be actuated and conductor means for theswitch means extending from the box; a body including an elongatedhandle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handle and havingan open side, a plate extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of thehandle and separating the housing into two longitudinal compartments,the compartment adjacent the open side being adapted to contain theswitch box, the plate being apertured transversely to receive the switchmeans therethrough whereby to stabilize the switch box againstdisplacement, one wall of the switch compartment being slotted inwardlyfrom the open side to receive the said conductor means freelytherethrough, linger means mounted pivotally in the second compartmentand arranged to contact the switch means, elongated rod means extendingslidably and longitudinally through the elongated handle into the secondcompartment, means pivotally connecting the inner end of the rod meansto the finger means, whereby longitudinal movement of the rod meanspivots the connected finger means and actuates the switch means in adirection transversely to said rod means, and cover means detachablyclosing the open side and slot of the housing.

4. A switch actuator comprising, in combination with three switch meansto be actuated; a body including an elongated handle, a hollow housingconnected to one end of the handle and adapted to contain the switchmeans, three parallel elongated rod means extending slidably andlongitudinally through the elongated handle into the housing and eacharranged to actuate one of the switch means, button means on the outerend of each of the outer rod means and having their adjacent edgesarranged in substantially abutting relation, said adjacent edges havingcomplementary grooves therein forming an opening, the center rod meansextending outwardly through said opening, and button means on the outerend of the center rod means.

THEODORE H. BALCH.

Fry Dec. 2, 1947 Warmey Oct. 18, 1949 Number

